In spite of Hurricane Sandy, dubbed ‘Frankenstorm’, on this All Hallow’s Eve most of the nation’s merry little folks in masquerade will participate in traditional Halloween activities.

Trick-or-treating is a go in storm damaged New York City; Mayor Michael Bloomberg is urging ghoulies, ghosties, and long-leggety beasties to stay away from affected areas and be cautious. According to the latest news report I heard today, Gov Chris Christie, who characterized damage in his state as “too widespread for words”, was still considering issuing an executive order to cancel Halloween in New Jersey until the situation stabilizes somewhat in his state. Given that Christie was touring storm damage this afternoon with Obama, it appears Halloween is a go in The Garden State. Various other cities affected by the super storm Sandy will postpone Halloween frolics until this coming Saturday.

UPDATE (1:21 PM PT): Governor Chris Christie has announced that New Jersey will celebrate Halloween next Monday, November 5, 2012 (election eve!).

While continuing to call upon supporters to be mindful of victims from Hurricane Sandy and to donate to the Red Cross, Governor mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan are back into the ‘spirit’ of things and are campaigning. Today Governor Romney is campaigning in Florida with former FL Gov Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio. Congressman Ryan is spending the day holding events in his home state, Wisconsin, and as the moon rises tonight, will be free to go trick-or-treating with his wife Janna, and three children.

Meanwhile, things that go bump in the night may be the sound of looters and spooks on the left are outrageously baring fangs over Romney’s storm relief efforts. Even though Obama told bone rattling Biden “now is not the time for politics” Joe was up to his usual hocus pocus and also hinted at a 2016 run for the White House. Yikes for America.

Obama will be back on his thorny campaign trail tomorrow, so beware!

Meanwhile, in spite of the double, double, toil, and trouble, the ENDORSEMENT cauldron continues to boil and bubble for the GOP ticket!

Nashua Telegraph (NH)
October 30, 2012

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com

Mitt Romney For President

Four years ago, with little hesitation, we endorsed then-Sen. Barack Obama to become the 44th president of the United States, saying it was a time for “new leadership, a new approach to governing, a new way of conducting the people’s business.”
…
After several hours of spirited debate, not unlike conversations taking place in kitchens and living rooms across America, we reached a consensus that he had not. Perhaps more importantly, when we identified the key challenges facing the nation – jobs, the economy and the national debt – we concluded he was not the best candidate to meet them.

That person is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and we hereby endorse him to become the 45th president of the United States.
…
As we noted when we endorsed Romney for the GOP nomination prior to the New Hampshire primary in January, Washington is broken. In order to fix it, it will take a strong leader willing to roll up his sleeves and work directly with the heads of both parties to carve out the best possible solutions.

We believe Romney has demonstrated that he can do that; the president has had four years to demonstrate that he can’t.
…True leaders also don’t wait until two weeks before Election Day – in the form of a 20-page booklet, no less – to lay out a specific agenda for the next four years. Coupled with the negative tenor of the campaign, that merely confirms the president and his strategists felt that attacking Romney’s agenda was more politically expedient than releasing one of their own.
…Nevertheless, we are confident Romney is the candidate who would tackle the serious issues facing this nation, starting with jobs, the economy and the debt. In the end, we couldn’t say the same about the president.

Speaking of hobgoblins, David Axelrod, senior strategist for Obama’s reelection campaign, today declared he would “shave my mustache if Obama loses Minnesota.” Come on! Let’s make Axelfraud break out his razor! While traditionally a ‘blue-wall’, the race is tightening enough that Romney is now buying ad time in The North Star State. Check out the endorsement below:

West Central Tribune (MN)
Editorial
Oct 27, 2012

http://www.wctrib.com/

Romney vote is right for president

…[T]he president’s first term has not been full of successes.

He moved on health care reform, pushing through legislation without bipartisan support, resulting in a legislative backlash which gridlocked Congress.

This administration has been unsuccessful in reducing the unemployment rate in the United States, with 43 long months with the rate above 8 percent.

Economic growth has remained stagnant through most of his first term. The three-year recovery has been very slow, poverty is up, family incomes are down and housing has been in a slump.

The scary issue facing America this Halloween is a looming fiscal crisis. There is the gigantic budget deficit $5 trillion deeper than when Obama took office. And a looming fiscal cliff deadline at the end of year, when automatic cuts of $100 billion from federal budgets and tax increases of $400 billion, happen unless Congress and the administration make a deal.

For various reasons, Obama has not been a uniting force and has not found a way to work with his Republican opposition.

Four years ago a nation tired of two wars, high deficit spending and an unfolding economic crisis sought a change. The country’s voters chose a young senator from Illinois to lead us forward.

There has been fair criticism of the Republican leaders of Congress who vowed to obstruct the president in the last two years, just as Obama had a Democratic control and didn’t work with Republicans in the first two years of his administration.

And both political parties are to blame for not having the political fortitude to deal with America’s growing fiscal crisis.

On Nov. 6, west central Minnesota voters face a choice for president. We all agree that Washington is broken and not functioning, much like a baseball team that is not winning. There is a time when a change is needed and a new manager is brought in to get the team refocused.

Republican Mitt Romney is seeking to bring that change to Washington. He is promising a new brand of leadership, an economic focus to create jobs and fiscal prudence to work on the budget deficit.
…

Romney has demonstrated his leadership in private business, in state government and in the 2002 Olympics.

He is a successful businessman, who earned his wealth through investment and decision-making strategies. He has spent the majority of his life in private business and said he knows how to grow jobs.

In 1999, Romney was brought in to resolve the scandalous crisis at the Salt Lake City Olympics. He addressed the situation, calmed sponsors, developed new leadership, controlled spending and staged an excellent Winter Olympics.

In 2002, he was elected governor of Massachusetts and faced an overwhelmingly Democratic legislature. He worked with that Legislature to control spending, restructure state government and eliminated a $3 billion state government deficit.
…
America needs a change in leadership to refocus the country and its economy toward a strong and vibrant country. This country cannot afford to slip back into another recession so soon.

Governor Chris Christie’s hunt, confront, and blunt approach to solving New Jersey’s deficit problems is thrilling. I like what he has to say about public employee/union entitlement demands. Take a look at a Townhall meeting he held on September 14, 2010, in Gloucester Township, NJ:

Accountability is one of those things we expect from others but would prefer not to submit to ourselves. Most of us would rather be rewarded regardless of whether we excel, yet we know that if that were the case for everyone, our society would falter. Teachers’ unions do their very best to secure these insulations from performance for their members, and the results are lack of accountability, rising pay as a simple function of years on the job, and near-absolute job security. These have a deadening impact on student achievement. [...]

[...] Our elected representatives’ role is to sit across the table from the unions and bargain in good faith in the interest of children and parents. But the teachers’ unions long ago discovered that they could wield influence – and, in some cases overwhelmingly influence – over the selection of our representatives on school boards and in state legislatures. In states like Massachusetts and in many others, it’s almost impossible to be elected a city mayor if you are opposed by the local teachers’ union, and the same is true for candidates for state representative in many legislative districts. As a result, candidates for office woo the teachers’ unions. If they secure their endorsement and are elected, the official sitting across the table from the union at bargaining time is the very person the union campaigned for and helped get into office. All too often, no one at that bargaining table is there solely to represent the interests of the children and parents. Of course, there are always the requisite public nods to education reform, accountability, performance pay, and all the potential education reforms that are currently in vogue. But meaningful change is seldom accomplished. Instead, the priority almost always remains more education funding and creating smaller classes – the two measure with the least positive impact on the quality of education, but the most impact on teacher pay and union dues. When citizens vote to reduce education revenues or the state cuts back on funds, the education officials typically make the cuts where the voters will feel them most – in sports, music, arts, libraries, and computers. You simply don’t see administrators being fired or salaries being cut across the board.

[…]

[…]The unions’ influence directly affects policies that lie at the foundation of our nation’s economy, the core of our ability to preserve freedom, and the heart of our children’s future prosperity. The reform and improvement of our failing schools is a priority that is simply too important to be shaped by such a powerful and self-interested special interest.

Unfortunately, some union CEOs are less concerned about an industry’s competitiveness than they are with how many of their union’s jobs they can protect, how much they can increase wages, and how they can impose even more favorable work rules. In some cases, this mind-set has contributed to companies or to entire industries failing so badly behind their competition that they lose market share or fail altogether, resulting in even greater job losses. Airlines, textiles, tires, steel aluminum consumer electronics, and autos include cases in point. The declines in unionized workplaces in the private sector reflects a recognition by working people across America that continual improvement and innovation are required in order for an employer to survive in the global marketplace. Unionization continues to grow in the public sector, however, because there is no competition to drive out a government entity that is inefficient, unproductive, or high cost – government is a protected monopoly.

New Jersey Congressman, Leonard Lance (R-07, Hunterdon Co) offers high praise for Mitt Romney as a potential candidate for President of the United States 2012. He also expresses high regard for Governor Chris Christie:

During a question and answer session with western Union County business leaders Friday morning, Lance was questioned regarding his thoughts on the 2012 presidential race. He said he supported Romney in 2008 and stressed he and other Garden State Romney supporters would lobby Christie to consider the former Massachusetts governor. Lance also described to the crowd the reasons why he’s supported Romney in the past.

Congressman Lance (R-NJ):

“Moving forward, I think that Mitt Romney has what I would like to see in a President. I will describe it briefly:

Success – as a student – academically – graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.Success- in the private sector at Bain & Co and Bain Capital.Success – in the non-profit sector cleaning up the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002.Success – in the public sector as Governor of Massachusetts.Success – in his personal life with his wonderful wife, Ann, and their five sons, five daughters-in-law, and at last count – between 15 and 20 grandchildren.

I greatly admire Mitt Romney – GREATLY admire him!”

Well said, Congressman Lance! By the way, as of August 9, 2010, the Romney’s are currently enjoying 15 grandchildren.

I posted an article on July 12th about Mitt Romney’s endorsement of New Jersey candidates that also mentioned Governor Romney’s backing of now-Governor Chris Christie way back when – in May 2009 – when Christie was an unknown and needed encouragement and money. Romney provided both. So, it’s very satisfying to observe the great things Christie is doing in New Jersey. Take yesterday for example…

On The Urgent Need For A Bold Reform Agenda To Rebuild New Jersey, “We Can’t Wait Any Longer For These Reforms To Be Done”…

“We can’t wait any longer for these reforms to be done,” Christie told about 250 people at the Packanack Lake Country Club in Wayne. “We are in a crisis and we can no longer afford to keep digging this hole deeper and deeper or we’ll never get out of it.” (Matt Friedman, “Gov. Christie pushes reform agenda for N.J. ethics rules, pension and health benefits,” NJ.com, 9/8/2010)

“The time for reform is now,” said Christie, who established the 107 days remaining in the legislative session as his deadline. (Rob Jennings, “Gov. Chris Christie kicks off town hall meetings in Wayne, NJ; plans pension reforms,” Daily Record, 9/8/2010)

The Governor added “there is a sense in New Jersey that the time for reform is now- that we are in a crisis, and we can no longer afford to keep digging this hole deeper and deeper, or we may never get out of it…I’m going to do what needs to be done- I’m going to break the eggs that need to be broken, I’m going to step on the toes that need to be stepped on, and I’m going to make the tough decisions that need to be made…it’s about fixing the problems that need to be fixed, and I’m not going to miss this opportunity by playing Mr. Nice Guy.” (David Matthau, “Gov Christie Begins Reform Campaign in Wayne,” NJ 101.5 FM, 9/8/2010)

The governor said he wants education and ethics reforms voted on by the legislature before Christmas. (“Christie Slams N.J. Teacher Union, Calls For Ed. Reform,” CBS-2 New York, 9/7/2010)

The video below was recorded at no-shrinking-violet Gov Chris Christie’s town hall meeting yesterday in Raritan, NJ. Watch as a school teacher begins to question Christie’s necessary paring of New Jersey’s education dollars. The longer she speaks, the more she revs up. Then, stand back! Governor Christie tells it like it is…

With America’s strangling entitlement mentality, burgeoning deficit and debts, along with 47 states operating in the red budget-wise, more legislators need to emulate Chris Christie; pragmatic, forthright, unbowing, and gentlemanly.